Professional Courtesy Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine


Wow, That’s Cool


Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD
Editorial Director,
Dentaltown Magazine













I recently returned from CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry (informally known as CDA North), in San Francisco. Many companies introduced new products at the show, and I found myself saying ‘that’s cool,’ more often than I should at my age. Before we explore these new arrivals, I think it is important to note that new innovations are coming in spite of the current economy because many of these products began development before the economy went sour. This leads me to wonder if there will be a lull in exciting new products 18 months from now, when the budget cuts of today catch up with research and development. I hope not.

The following products caught my eye at the CDA meeting, and in each case I was treated to a great demonstration of the product highlights. Needless to say, there were many fine new products at CDA, but limited space prevents their appearance in this column. I encourage readers interested in new products to check out the new products section on page 89-90, our weekly e-Newsletter and, of course, Dentaltown.com.

Dexis Sensor
The big brains at Dexis have just unveiled their newest sensor, Dexis Platinum. They took one of the industry’s leading sensors and completely redesigned it from end to end. I have three of the original Dexis sensors in my practice and I could immediately appreciate the improvements. A few of the highlights: USB connection – no more clumsy card plugged into a box or the side of a laptop. You now have a connection that everyone understands. Added durability in both the cable and sensor body, which everyone can agree is necessary when you have multiple hands handling expensive electronics. There is also a noticeable decrease in overall thickness of the sensor as well as a huge improvement in image quality.

Griptab from Triodent
For those who have not experienced the genius that is Triodent, you should know that this company was literally born on Dentaltown. Many years ago, Dr. Simon McDonald, a dentist from New Zealand, introduced a matrix system he had developed in his spare time. Now the company is thriving with a growing number of clever gadgets to solve common clinical problems. The Griptab is a small plastic tab that you attach to your indirect restorations with a temporary adhesive. This provides a handle to hold the restoration safely during bonding and cementation procedures. When you are finished the tab simply peels off clean.

Pearl from PracticeWorks
This next product made my BlackBerry Tour jealous. I have Dentrix practice management software in my office and the good people at PracticeWorks showed me what I’m missing. Their new software is an add-on called Pearl. This application can be installed on your BlackBerry or iPhone and it provides real-time access to Kodak PracticeWorks, Softdent, Orthotrac and WinOMS CS practice management software. This is not a program that syncs data for one moment in time, this is live access that allows you to view all parts of the patient record and add items as needed. You even have the ability to view patient X-rays. This is an elegant way to make follow-up calls to patients from home or a brilliant way to handle after hours calls from anywhere you can receive a phone call on your cell phone.

If you have recently purchased a new product and have a desire to share your experiences, please visit Dentaltown.com and join the discussion. We are always open for business. If you want to share a thought with me, send it to tom@dentaltown.com.
Sponsors
Townie Perks
Townie® Poll
Who or what do you turn to for most financial advice regarding your practice?
  
Sally Gross, Member Services Specialist
Phone: +1-480-445-9710
Email: sally@farranmedia.com
©2025 Dentaltown, a division of Farran Media • All Rights Reserved
9633 S. 48th Street Suite 200 • Phoenix, AZ 85044 • Phone:+1-480-598-0001 • Fax:+1-480-598-3450